1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for repairing a wire wrap connection, and more particularly, to a connector insertable over the wire wrap connection for restoring an electrical connection between a wire and a terminal.
2. Description of the Background Art
Various ways of connecting a wire to a terminal to establish an electrical connection as well as a mechanical connection are known in the art. For example, screw terminals, solder or spring clips may be used. Another way of establishing both an electrical connection and a mechanical connection is by utilizing a wire wrap connection. A wire wrap connection is made by wrapping a non-insulated portion of a wire around a terminal several times in order to establish both a strong mechanical connection and an electrical connection between the wire and the terminal. The wire may be wrapped around the terminal five to ten times, or more.
Typically, the wire wrap connection is performed with a specialized tool which may be in the form of a pencil-like tool or a gun. With the pencil-like tool, the wire is manually wrapped around the terminal by the movement of the operators hand. The gun, however, automatically performs the wrapping operation. If the gun is not properly calibrated, the wire wrap connection may initially be loosely formed, producing a poor electrical and mechanical connection.
Over time, the wire wrap connection may be exposed to moisture, harmful outdoor elements, temperature changes, and physical stress. The wire wrap connection may therefore become loosened, and provide a poor electrical connection. Further, the moisture and environmental elements may cause the connection to rust or corrode, thereby diminishing the electrical connection between the wire and the terminal. When utilized in a telephone network, such poor connections can produce hissing, and degrade the overall sound quality of the telephone connection.
In order to reestablish the electrical connection to eliminate the undesirable noise, it is necessary for a telephone repair person to remove the wire by unwrapping the connection, cut the wire, strip the insulation from a portion of the remaining wire, and reperform the wire wrapping operation. It may further be necessary to clean the terminal of corrosion before remaking the wire wrap connection. This method is very time consuming, and may even be impossible if there is not enough slack in the existing wire to remake the wire wrap connection.
There is a need in the art for a repair kit including a device which can quickly and easily reestablish an electrical connection between the terminal and the wire, thereby reducing or eliminating any electrical noise caused by a poor wire wrap connection. There is also a need in the art for a device which will prevent future corrosion of the wire wrap connection caused by the elements, thereby extending the life of an existing wire wrap connection.